Well test burner

ABSTRACT

A well tester burner for oil wells includes a hollow body closed at one end and having an opening at the other to provide a mixing chamber therebetween. A plurality of openings extend through the body into the chamber and are arranged in an opposing manner so that oil from the well tested may be discharged through a plurality of openings and air discharged into other openings the oil and air openings being arranged in an opposed manner so that the oil and air impinge against each other and form a mist in the mixing chamber prior to discharge through the opening. A lance extends longitudinally in the body and is movable relative thereto for controlling the volume of oil and air mist discharged through the opening from the body. The lance includes surface means that cooperate with the opening and surface on the end of the body adjacent to the opening for further misting of the oil and air for better combustion, so that a smokeless flame is created meeting present government and ecology requirements.

nited States Patent [191 lheriot 1 WELL TEST BURNER [76] Inventor: Joseph G. Theriot, 1205 Canal St.,

Morgan City, La. 70380 [22] Filed: Nov. 1, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 412,010

Primary Examiner-Edward G. Favors Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Jack W. Hayden ABSTRACT A well tester burner for oil wells includes a hollow body closed at one end and having an opening at the other to provide a mixing chamber therebetween. A plurality of openings extend through the body into the chamber and are arranged in an opposing manner so that oil from the well tested may be discharged through a plurality of openings and air discharged into other openings the oil and air openings being arranged in an opposed manner so that the oil and air impinge against each other and form a mist .in the mixing chamber prior to discharge through the opening.

A lance extends longitudinally in the body and is movable relative thereto for controlling the volume of oil and air mist discharged through the opening from the body. The lance includes surface means that cooperate with the opening and surface on the end of the body adjacent to the opening for further misting of the oil and air for better combustion, so that a smokeless flame is created meeting present government and ecology requirements.

7 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTEI] MAY 2 1 I974 same or z 1 WELL TEST BURNER SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Various types of burners have been proposed and are in use at the present time in connection with testing operations for oil wells, and primarily oil wells. Ecology and regulatory standards require that such burners properly consume the oil from the well tested in a manner without forming any residue or smoke.

The prior art with which applicant is familiar includes US. Pat. No. 3,565,652; Pat. No. l ,934,837; and US. Pat. No. 1,381,095; however, none of these references disclose the specific structural arrangement of the present invention in that none disclose a burner of reltively simple construction having oil and air discharged in a direct opposing manner to effect impact and misting of the oil and the air to obtain an intimate mixture thereof prior to discharge from the mixing chamber for ignition. In addition, none of such burners include lance means having spaced enlargements with one of the enlargements thereon projecting beyond the burner and cooperating with the surface on the end of the burner to further aid in misting of the hydrocarbon and air.

An object of the present invention is to provide a well tester burner having a body forming a mixing chamber therein with openings into the body for discharge of oil and air into the mixing chamber, the openings being arranged so that the oil inlets to the mixing chamber are each diametrically opposed to an air inlet so as to comingle and impact the air and oil to form a mist prior to discharge from the burner, and an opening on one end of the burner for discharge of the mist of oil and air.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a well tester burner having a body forming a mixing chamber therein with openings into the body for discharge of oil and air into the mixing chamber, the openings being arranged so that the oil inlets to the mixing chamber are each diametrically opposed to an air inlet so as to comingle and impact the air and oil to form a mist prior to discharge fromthe burner, an opening on one end of the burner for discharge of the mist of oil and air, and lance means extending longitudinally of the burner in the-mixing chamber and having spaced enlargements thereon, one of which is positioned internally of the opening and the other of which is positioned externally of the opening to control the flow of misted oil and air from the mixing chamber and through the opening and aid in further misting.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a well tester burner having a body forming a mixing chamber therein with openings into the body for discharge of oil and air into the mixing chamber, the openings beingarranged so that the oil inlets to the mixing chamber are each diametrically opposed to an air inlet so as to comingle and impact the air and oil to form a mist prior to discharge from the burner, an opening on .one end of the burner for discharge of the mist of oil and air, and lance means extending longitudinally of the burner in the mixing chamber and having spaced enlargements thereon, one of which is positioned internally of the opening and the other of which is positioned externally of the opening to control the flow of misted oil and air from the mixing chamber and through the opening, said enlargement which is disposed outside of the burner adjacent the opening cooperating with an annular concave surface on the end of the burner head to further break up the oil stream for better combustion of the oil and air mist.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a well tester burner having a body forming a mixing chamber therein with openings into the body for discharge of oil and air into the mixing chamber, the openings being arranged so that the oil inlets to the mixing chamber are each diametrically opposed to an air inlet and with the air and oil inlets being spaced longitudinally of the mixing chamber so as to more intimately comingle and impact the air and oil'to form a mist prior to discharge from the burner, an opening on one end of the burner for discharge of the mist of oil and air, lance means extending longitudinally of the burner in the mixing chamber and having spaced enlargements thereon, one of which is positioned internally of the opening and the other of which is positioned externally of the opening to control the flow of misted oil and air from the mixing chamber, and means to ignite the oil and air mixture.

A further object is to provide an oil well burner including a body having a closed end and an opening at the other to provide a mixing chamber therebetween and a plurality of oil inlets spaced longitudinally of the body and communicating with the mixing chamber, and a plurality of air inlets spaced longitudinally of the body and communicating with the mixing chamber, each oil outlet being arranged diametrically opposite an air outlet so that the oil and air are discharged into the mixing chamber at a plurality of positions longitudinally thereof and in opposed relation to break up the oil streams into mists and comingle it with the air prior to discharge through the burner body opening.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from consideration of the following description and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The oil well tester burner of the present invention is referred to generally by the numeral 10 in FIG. ll of the drawing and is shown as including an elongated body referred to generally at 15 which may be of any suitable configuration and which for purposes of illustration only, is shown as being cylindrical. One end 16 of the body is closed and the other end 17 is provided with an opening 18 to form a mixing chamber 19 therebetween and within the body and shown in dotted line in FIG. 1 of the drawing.

The body 15 is provided with a plurality of openings, six of which areshown in FIG. 2 and represented by the numerals 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, and 25. It will be noted that the openings 20 thru 25 are arranged in staggered or spaced relationship along the longitudinal axis of the mixing chamber 19 and are arranged so that pairs of openings are diametrically opposed. For example, the

l of the drawings. The opening 22 is diametrically opposed to the opening 24, this pair of openings being in the same plane represented by the numeral 29 which is spaced from the plane 28 of the openings and 23, Similarly, the openings 21 and 25 are in opposed relationship, such opposed relationship of the openings being better seen in FIG. 2 of the drawings, and are in the same plane represented by the dotted line which is spaced longitudinally of the mixing chamber 19 relative to the plane represented by the dotted line 28.

Conduit means 32 are provided which functions as a manifold for supplying air to be discharged through conduit 33 through opening 20, by conduit 34 to opening 21, and by conduit 35 to opening 22. A manifold 38 connects with the well for conducting waste oil from the well tested to be discharged by the conduit 39 through the opening 23, by conduit 40 through the opening 25 and by conduit 41 through the opening 24.

Since each oil opening is diametrically opposed to an air opening, when the oil streams are discharged at longitudinally spaced intervals of the mixing chamber and in a diametrically opposed relationship to an air inlet, the air and oil impinge against each other so as to break the oil stream and air into a fine mist prior to discharge through the opening 18 of the body.

Means referred to generally at 45 are provided for varying the discharge of oil and air mist through the body opening 18, such means including the lance 46 which extends longitudinally in the mixing chamber and projects through both ends of the burner 15. The burner body 15 is closed off at its end 16 by suitable means such as the bushing 50 having the annular surface 51 with a shoulder 52 that abuts against the end 16 of the burner body 15 and having a smaller annular portion 53 with threads 54 thereon so that the bushing may be positioned within the body 15 by engagement eith the threads 160. A smaller annular extension 56 is integrally formed with the bushing 50, and the bushing 50 includes a bore 57 therethrough having threads 58 formed therein for a purpose as will be discussed. A counter bore 59 is also provided at the other end of the bore 57 and has threads 60 thereon for receiving the packing gland assembly 61. p

The lance 46 includes an elongated shaft 47 which projects through the bore 58, counter bore 59 and through a bore shown in dotted line at 62 in FIG. 1 of the packing assembly 61. Threads 48 are adapted to engage with the threads 58, so that upon rotation of the shaft 47 the lance 46 is moved longitudinally within the body 5 so as to position the spaced enlargements 49 and 49b thereof in relation to the opening 18. The enlargement 49b is formed on an extension 47a of the shaft and is connected to the shaft 47 by any suitable means such as the threads 47b which engage the extension 47a in the opening 49a of the enlargement 49.

The preferred configuration of the opening 18 in the end 17 of the body 15 is accomplished by means of the adapter 65. The adapter 65 is adapted to be engaged by the threads 66 with the threads 18a in the opening 18b; however the adapter is provided with an opening referred to generally at 18 which forms the opening through which the mist of oil and air is discharged.

The opening 18 is defined by the annular surface 18C which diverges outwardly as shown in FIG. 3 toward the annular concave surface 17a formed on the end 17 of the body 15, the surface 17a surrounding the body opening 18 when the adapter 65 is positioned in the body. In addition to the first annular surface 18c, the adapter 65 includes a second annular surface 18d that diverges longitudinally in the direction opposite from the first annular surface 186 so as to face the mixing chamber 19 and proviide a seat for receiving the tapered surface 490 on the enlargement 49 for closing off flow through the burner when desired.

This position is illustrated in dotted line in FIG. 1 of the drawings.

Normally, the enlargement 49 will be spaced from the surface 18d a predetermined amount depending upon the desired volume to be discharged from the burner, which in turn is related to the volume of oil and air conducted through manifolds 32 and 38. The enlargement 49b spaced from the enlargement 49 on the lance 45 projects through the opening 18 and is in spaced relation to the surface 18c as well as the surface 17a. The enlargement 49b includes a surface 49d, which in cooperation with the surface 17a and the surface 180 aid in further breaking up the oil so as to better mist the oil and comingle the oil and air for combustion.

As shown in FIG. 2, suitable means referred to at 70 are provided for igniting the mist as it discharges and includes the pipe or tubular member 71 through which a suitable combustible fluid such as natural gas or the like may be discharged and ignited to provide the pilot flames 72.

Each manifold 32 and 38 includes suitable valve means 32a and 38a for further controlling the flow of air and oil therethrough as may be desired, and check valve means 32b and 38b to prevent back flow of air and oil from the burner.

From the foregoing description, it can be appreciated that after the oil well has been tested and it is desired to dispose of the waste oil in a manner to meet appropriate administrative and ecology standards, the oil is conducted through the manifold 38 and discharged through the openings 23, 24 and 25 as previously noted. Simultaneously air is discharged from the manifold 32 through the openings 20, 21 and 22 and because of the opposed relationship of each oil discharge to each air discharge in the mixing chamber 19, and due to the spaced longitudinal relationship of the plurality of oil and air inlets the oil flow is broken up into a fine mist and comingled intimately with the air prior to discharge thereof through the opening 18.

It can be appreciated that the pilot 71 is ignited by any suitable means such as a transformer and spark plug arrangement in a well known manner, or in any other suitable manner.

Normally, the burner head is disposed on a boom or other suitable arrangement so as to burn in a manner that will not cause any damage to the oil well being tested. Also, it is desired to be able to regulate the position of the lance 45 at a position remote relative to the burner because of the size of the flame and a suitable coupling 63 is mounted on the end of the shaft 47 adjacent the packing gland assembly 61 for engagement with a coupling member 64 shown in dotted line and carried on an elongated member shown in dotted line at 64a. Thus, the lance 45 may be rotated to position the spaced enlargements relative to the opening 18 to aid in further misting of the oil and air and to control the volume discharge through the opening 18.

The foregoing arrangement has been found entirely satisfactory in that it consumes the oil in a manner meeting all ecology and administrative standards without creating any smoke or residue.

The foregoing disclosure and description of the invention are illustrative and explanatory thereof, and various changes in the size, shape, and materials as well as in the details of the illustrated construction may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is 1. An oil well tester burner including:

a. a hollow elongated body;

b. said body having one end closed and an opening adjacent the other end to thereby form a mixing chamber between said one and other body end;

c. a plurality of openings extending through said body and communicating with the mixing chamber;

d. means for conducting oil from a well being tested to selected ones of said openings;

e. means for conducting air to other of said openings which are diametrically opposed to the openings that discharge oil into the mixing chamber whereby the oil and air impact to fonn a mist; and

f. means for varying the discharge of oil and air mist through the body opening in said other end.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein said means for varying the discharge through the body opening includes:

a. a lance extending longitudinally in said body;

b. cooperating means on said body and lance to accommodate longitudinal movement of said lance a. said other body end having an annular concave surface surrounding the body opening;

0. the body opening having a first annular surface that diverges outwardly towardsaid annular concave surface on said other body end;

d. the body opening having a second annular surface that diverges longitudinally in the direction opposite from said first annular surface so as to face the mixing chamber and form a seat;

e. one of said spaced enlargements being of a larger diameter than the other and having a surface thereon to be received on said second annular surface for closing off flow through the body opening; and

f. the other of said enlargements being smaller in diameter for positioning out of said body opening and having a surface thereon which cooperates with the annular concave surface on said other body end to assist in misting the oil and air.

4. The invention of claim 3 including means for igniting the oil and air mist.

5. The invention of claim 2 wherein said cooperating means on said body and lance to accommodate longitudinal movement of said lance includes:

a. cooperating threads on said lance and body to enable said lance to be moved longitudinally upon rotation thereof; and

b. coupling means on said lance end which projects through said one body end to enable said lance to be engaged and rotated to position said spaced en largements relative to the body opening.

6. The invention of claim 1 including valve means in said oil and air conduits for controlling the volume therethrough.

7. The invention of claim 1 including check valve means in said oil and air conduits for preventing backflow from the burner. 

1. An oil well tester burner including: a. a hollow elongated body; b. said body having one end closed and an opening adjacent the other end to thereby form a mixing chamber between said one and other body end; c. a plurality of openings extending through said body and communicating with the mixing chamber; d. means for conducting oil from a well being tested to selected ones of said openings; e. means for conducting air to other of said openings which are diametrically opposed to the openings that discharge oil into the mixing chamber whereby the oil and air impact to form a mist; and f. means for varying the discharge of oil and air mist through the body opening in said other end.
 2. The invention of claim 1 wherein said means for varying the discharge through the body opening includes: a. a lance extending longitudinally in said body; b. cooperating means on said body and lance to accommodate longitudinal movement of said lance relative to said body; and c. a pair of spaced enlargements adjacent the end of said lance for positioning on opposite side of the body opening to vary the volume of oil and air mist discharged therethrough and to assist in further misting and mixing of the oil and air.
 3. The invention of claim 2 including: a. said other body end having an annular concave surface surrounding the body opening; c. the body opening having a first annular surface that diverges outwardly toward said annular concave surface on said other body end; d. the body opening having a second annular surface that diverges longitudinally in the direction opposite from said first annular surface so as to face the mixing chamber and form a seat; e. one of said spaced enlargements being of a larger diameter than the other and having a surface thereon to be received on said second annular surface for closing off flow through the body opening; and f. the other of said enlargements being smaller in diameter for positioning out of said body opening and having a surface thereon which cooperates with the annular concave surface on said other body end to assist in misting the oil and air.
 4. The invention of claim 3 including means for igniting the oil and air mist.
 5. The invention of claim 2 wherein said cooperating means on said body and lance to accommodate longitudinal movement of said lance includes: a. cooperating threads on said lance and body to enable said lance to be moved longitudinally upon rotation thereof; and b. coupling means on said lance end which projects through said one body end to enable said lance to be engaged and rotated to position said spaced enlargements relative to the body opening.
 6. The invention of claim 1 including valve means in said oil and air conduits for controlling the volume therethrough.
 7. The invention of claim 1 including check valve means in said oil and air conduits for preventing backflow from the burner. 